When the Unexpected Happens, How Will You Respond?

The unexpected is part of life.

A diagnosis. A job loss. A relationship that changes. A conversation you didn’t see coming. News that knocks the wind out of you.

We don’t get to choose when those moments happen. But we can build the skills to help us navigate them when they do.

Because when something unexpected happens, most of us have a default response. Maybe you immediately jump into problem-solving mode. Maybe you push down what you’re feeling and keep moving. Maybe your brain starts spinning through every possible worst-case scenario. Or maybe you shut down completely.

None of that means you’re doing it wrong. But your first reaction doesn’t have to determine what happens next.

In this episode of The WTF Podcast, I share a moment earlier this year when my family received unexpected news and I could feel myself getting pulled into the funk. Instead of pushing through it, I used the same framework I teach others to help me navigate what was happening in real time.

I paused long enough to recognize what I was actually feeling. I allowed myself to process it instead of immediately trying to make it go away. Then I came back to what was actually within my control and figured out my next best step.

That’s what having an intentional process for navigating these moments gives you.

It doesn’t mean you won’t feel scared, angry, stunned, disappointed or overwhelmed when life throws you a curveball. It doesn’t make the hard thing less hard.

It gives you a way to move through the moment instead of getting stuck in it.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to know how the story ends. Sometimes you just need a process that helps you understand what’s happening inside of you, focus on what you can control, and decide what comes next.

In this episode, I walk you through what that looked like for me and how you can begin using the same process when the unexpected happens in your own life.

Before you listen, consider these two questions:

• What is my default response when something unexpected happens?

• What would help me respond differently instead of getting stuck in the funk?